The Bright Silence of the Stars
by Scribbleness
Summary: One threat was escaping to protect him, while the other one was running in search for her safety. This is a story about two people who fell in love during the wrong time at the wrong place, and would wait more than a lifetime just for the right moment.
1. It Was When

**Disclaimer**: ANYTHING THAT IS NOT MINE (EXCEPT THE STORY), IS NOT AND WILL NEVER BE MINE.

**Author's Note**: This is a short, three-chapter story that suddenly popped into my mind while listening to FFXIII's "Defiers of Fate". I am well aware that I have not updated my other stories for the longest time now, And I've decided to at least start reclaiming my responsibilities as a writer by practicing how to be responsible enough by sort of practicing on this story. Also, I'm dedicating this story to my friend MonMonCandie. This is my apology story for not being able to read and review her stories lately, and for not being able to keep in touch. I have been very busy, with life and school, and I only did my best to find some time to write this story just so I could do it for her. Again, I'm sorry, and I promise to read her latest chapters and stories as soon as I find the time to surf the internet.

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><p>It was like the war of the worlds—the whole place was in chaos. The central park they believed to be the safest haven became the crash site of a fallen bridge from the east of the city. Said bridge was supposed to bring the residents to safety, until a big ship fired missiles at it, leaving people trapped in the forsaken place and costing some of their lives. As for those who survived the attack, they retreated to the other side of the city in hope of reaching a place that could spare their lives. Only a stupid few would choose to move forward. And if they do, it would be for a different purpose that goes beyond survival… something that is worth their lives.<p>

People were yelling upsetting words, and some were screaming their desperation out. A very handful some tried to lead the pushing crowd by shouting orders, but their words were drowned in the people's cries of panic and hopelessness.

"MOVE ASIDE!" A male youth with short blond hair yelled with as much force as he could muster. But his words fell on deaf ears. He shouted again and again as he shoved people away with all his remaining strength. But the crowd was going the other way, and he simply could not squeeze himself and his friends through them.

"Ignis!" Another young man with a bulkier built cried out against the noise while looking back to his friend who was wearing a pair of glasses. "Ignis! Hold on to Noctis! Don't let go!"

Ignis was silently shielding another male youth with his whole body, holding his shoulders as they pushed through. His eyes shifted only between the man he was securely protecting against the crowd and what was ahead of him. He felt his back nearly aching from all the bumping and pushing done by the agitated swarm of people behind him, but he never bothered looking back. He just wanted him and Noctis to stay close to his bulky and blond friends.

Noctis, on the other hand, was doing the best he could to help his friends pass through. With his strong arms, he pushed people aside, elbowed them, or rammed their faces with his palm just to get them out of their way. Not helpful given the dire situation, but none of his friends complained. They adamantly went on their way.

Down below from where they were, somewhere around the central park, was where she was walking at the same direction where the collapsed bridge was. Barely surviving the crash and the explosions of the missiles hours ago, she obliged her feet to outlive the chaos and carry on. No crowd flowing at the opposite direction was stopping her this time, but the large rubbles of what was left of the bridge, and her fear that could not seem to fight.

She was wandering aimlessly and frantically for help. She was far too small and far too young to survive amidst it all, and she was alone. She was in a fragile condition, completely helpless and breakable. But she couldn't give up, not until she finds her big brother.

Fighting against the loud sounds of chaos were her soft sobs she wished to be heard. Gripping tightly on the soft dog plushie, she looked around anxiously with wide purple eyes for any sign of her older sibling.

And then, a soft familiar voice from a girl she knew.

"Seven?" the voice said. "Is that you?"

Seven, the little girl, turned to the owner of the voice that called her name.

"Stella!" she ran to the young woman, almost crashing herself to her when she tried to capture her in a small embrace. Tears that she was trying to wrestle with finally escaped her eyes.

"Shh… shh.." Stella gently hushed the little girl as she knelt down in front of her and pulled her into a tighter hug. "It's okay. It's okay now." She then slowly pulled herself away and took a good look at Seven. "What are you doing here? Where is your brother?"

Seven quickly brushed her eyes with her arm and shook her head. "I don't know! He left me alone back at home. He said he'll come back. Then there was an explosion. And I followed him. And I never saw him again!"

Pain stroke Stella and she pulled Seven again in tight hug. "I… I see." was all she could mutter. "It's okay now…" She assured while brushing Seven's back gently. "We'll find your big brother. Just stay close to me."

Suddenly, a faint sound of siren started to echo from the distance, and white spotlights were flashed from above, scanning the whole area in circles.

Stella, alarmed by these, quickly looked around before finally standing up. She took Seven's hand securely in hers.

"I want you to run as fast as you can. And stay really close to me. Okay?"

Seven nodded.

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><p>Noctis felt like a schoolteacher calling roll calls on a school trip.<p>

"Gladiolus?" He called to his bulky friend, who was presently stretching his arms by pulling the metal ledge left by the broken bridge. He nodded at Noctis. "I'm okay."

"Prompto?" Noctis called to the blond youth. He was a peculiar one, doing his ritual squats. "Prompto, what are you doing?"

"I'm loosing up the blood flow in my system." Prompto replied. "Been standing for too long made me go stiff."

Noctis blinked in disbelief before turning to Ignis and patting his back. Ignis groaned in response. "Ah. Apologies."

"None. Taken." Ignis said sternly. He was counting from ten under his breath before he bent his back backwards. There was that successful sound of clicking bones, accompanied by his scream of pain.

"Don't be a sissy now." Noctis said nonchalantly.

"Easy for you to say. You never experienced any of this everyday pains of mine, your Majesty." Prompto retorted.

Ignoring his friends, Noctis walked at the broken edge of the halved bridge, staring at the huge metal monument that invaded their city which stood a hundred miles away from where they were. It was surrounded by hundreds of flying ships, securely monitoring the whole area.

"So," Gladiolus walked beside Noctis, nodding at the scenery. "Where should we start?"

"Right there." Noctis replied, his eyes still transfixed at the monument. "I know she should be there. We should reach it and search for her inside. That's our angle."

"Isn't that a little impossible?" Prompto asked in doubt while scratching his head.

"We've escaped the palace, fought against the huge crowd, and got ourselves into safety without being caught yet." Noctis replied. "Everything we've done was already impossible."

"But first, we need to find a way to get there more quickly." Ignis remarked.

"Well, any mode of transportation will do. I'm sure we'll find one lying around here somewhere." Gladiolus replied. "I just wish we don't run out of luck for the rest of the way."

Prompto approached Noctis' side and looked at the stiff image of the scenery. People were still running away, screaming, and large armed ships were still flying above the sunless sky. "My, my. All this for a stray summoner."

Noctis' eyes narrowed. "Come. Time's not to be wasted." He jumped from the edge and landed safely on the ground thirty feet below them. Prompto looked at Ignis and shrugged before jumping after Noctis. The rest quickly followed.

Noctis looked around, scanning the area for any sign of presence. But the whole place was evidently deserted. He turned around at the three.

"We have to split up."

Ignis shook his head. "Bad idea. You are not to be left alone."

"We have to if we wanted to make this fast. We're running out of time and we can't lose our chance." Noctis replied.

"I agree." Gladiolus nodded. "I think we can handle ourselves pretty well."

Prompto patted his bags on both sides of his hips. "As long as I got these babies, it should be just a breeze."

Ignis sighed and massaged his nosebridge, shaking his head in disapproval. He looked up, diverting his eyes from his friends to find any hopeful answers before finally giving up. "Fine. What's your plan now?"

"We split up, take different possible routes of the city to get to the Fal'cie." Noctis replied. "If we're lucky, she might not have reached the Fal'cie yet. She might still be around. First one to get to the Fal'cie contacts everyone else for any reports. All of us will meet at the Fal'cie. It will be our last resort to find her."

"I'll take South!" Prompto exclaimed and began to run before anyone could even reply.

"I'll take the North side." Ignis calmly said as he began to scram away.

Noctis wordlessly run on his way, leaving Gladiolus with only one choice.

"I guess I'll take West." And he ran as well.

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><p>He bumped into a police or two, and he was pretty sure he ran into a clerk that worked back at his home. Noctis would have been spotted immediately, considering his highly precious life. But that was not the case this time. The ruckus and the chaos overshadowed everything else but everyone's despairing escape to safety.<p>

He searched over the passing people, and he searched well for her. For several times he would be fooled by people who donned long, golden blonde hair, but in an instant that she saw their faces, he knew none of them was her. Regardless, he kept on searching for her anywhere he went as he head straight to the Fal'cie.

Noctis finally reached a street, a place he knew very well, one that he kept safely in his memories. It was the place where they first dated. He was too shy back then, eager to hold her hand, but too scared to do it, until she grabbed his and lead him to a garage sale full of antique novelty items. It was the first time he blushed in years.

He strolled slowly, somehow hoping that she might be near. Albeit a deserted place, he looked around, passing by an electronic store.

"The city is falling into pieces as the search for the summoner goes on." The reporter on the television said from the store's glass window. "The presence of the Fal'cie continues to shake the residents and patrols were dispatched to capture the alleged threat to the people. It was reported this afternoon that the summoner was last spotted on a bridge at the central park where airships launches missiles to stop the summoner from doing any harm before it could."

Noctis' eyes avoided the screen while his ears kept on listening. His fists tightened on his sides.

"The high Fal'cie is letting everyone know that there is nothing to be scared of, and is doing everything it could to protect the lives of the people, which is presently at stake until the summoner is caught for good."

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><p>Stella and Seven were still running; as fast as they could, and as stealthy as they came.<p>

The older one was leading Seven to several walls and alleys, dodging the eyes of the patrolling groups of soldiers for each area they were in. And when they were finally hidden, Stella would carefully survey the area and plan where they would head next.

"Stella?" Seven called in a soft whisper. Stella turned around to look at her in response. "What is going on?"

Stella's face softened in a sad expression. "They're looking for a summoner. She seemed to have been spotted around here in the city."

"Why are they looking for the summoner like this? Can't they just search the city without blowing the place up?"

"Well," Stella kneeled beside the little Seven. "They think the summoner is dangerous. Any move a summoner does is always a threat to everyone." She said with a sad smile.

"Why?" Seven asked innocently.

Stella sighed. Of course, why would she even expect for someone like Seven to understand what she was talking about. How could she possibly know that a summoner was supposed to be someone perilous? It wasn't even taught to her school yet, and how could she even understand what it was all about. She was only six years old and extremely pampered, barely comprehending why there was even such a thing as a "threat". Then again, they were already in a dire situation caused by the said "threat" and it was about time Seven should know all about it.

Stella inhaled deeply. "Okay. I'll tell you about it." For the last time, she looked around to check if their spot was still safe. When she was completely assured, she turned back to Seven. "Everyone thinks that summoners are dangerous because of what happened before during the war of summoners. A thousand years ago, large machines called 'machinas' attacked the city almost destroying it completely. But the summoners stood up against the machinas and defended the city with borrowed powers from powerful spiritual beings called the aeons. But they were only humans, and their strength against the machines was not enough. In their last act for hope, they merged their powers together and finally created a very powerful aeon they called 'Sin'. He was so powerful he was able to destroy all the machinas in just one strike. However, soon after, Sin had gone berserk and started to target the city, wasting so many lives. After so much struggle to stop Sin, the summoners realized that the only way was to dismiss him from his duty."

"What does that mean?" Seven inquired.

"That means he can only be stopped temporarily, until he is summoned again. When that happens, he would start attacking everyone out of control again. That was when people decided that summoners are threats, because only summoners can bring Sin back. It is always too risky to let one live."

"That's unfair! What if the summoner doesn't want to summon Sin?"

Stella gave another sad smile. "People are afraid. They're afraid to lose their lives, and even worse, the lives of their loved ones. They only hate the summoners because they wanted to protect themselves and everyone else, regardless of the summoners' true nature and intentions."

"Well, I don't hate summoners. They did nothing but good. I hate the machinas and Sin!"

Stella gave out a soft laugh. Seven was really a smart girl. Just like her brother.

She gently placed her hand on the younger one's head and brushed her short silver hair. "I know, Seven. Thank you."

Seven tilted her head to the side in curiosity. "For wha-"

Suddenly, there was a loud explosion that shook the whole ground. It shocked Seven and Stella's eyes widened as she looked around in panic. They might have stayed on that spot for too long.

"Come, we have to go." Stella pulled Seven up and they both ran out of that place. They emerged from the alley, and soon, they were engulfed by smoke from bombs and gunpowder. Both girls covered their noses with their arms and their eyes were tearing from the painful sting. They both ran blindly, guessing the path they were taking until it was not obscure anymore. They were both halted by a large metal, covering a stiff body of a man, and Stella almost stumbled backwards as soon as she ran into him.

The man turned around to take a look at what bumped him, and though his face was concealed by a metal helmet, his voice disclosed the sense of urgency in his words. "RED ALERT! RED ALERT! AND SHE HAS A CHILD IN CAPTIVE! RED ALERT!"

Stella gasped and pulled Seven behind her protectively before they both ran again.

The man in metal suit ran after her, but he was not fast enough. Passing by a group of other men with uniform similar to his, he sternly pointed at the girls' direction. "GET THEM!"

With a group of soldiers in hot pursuit of them, Stella forced her tired legs to run as fast as she could while Seven tried her best to keep up with the older one's pace. Reaching a skyway, Stella aimed to reach the other side of it before the soldiers could catch up with them. Then, halfway through the skyway, a group of five soldiers gracefully dropped from a height and blocked the girls from their way. Stella skidded to a stop, her eyes widened in panic as she held Seven back protectively. She turned around and opted to find another way to escape, but the earlier group of soldiers finally caught up with them. Out of options, Stella helplessly looked at the soldiers with pleading eyes, hoping they wouldn't even attempt to hurt them.

"Captain," One of the soldiers said over a communicator on his mouth. "We got the-"

Suddenly, a sound of a gunshot was heard.

Stella turned around and saw that same soldier fell on his knees before completely collapsing on the ground, while his companions merely watched him, their head bobbing down following his body.

_What is it now?_ Stella asked herself in anxiety before she heard a knocking sound behind her and saw another soldier violently thrown over the skyway by a swinging figure. The culprit, a young man with a short blond hair, landed safely near Stella and faced the group of soldiers with her confidently.

"Like I said, as long as I have these babies," He wielded a pair of guns in his hands and pointed them at the soldiers. "this will be just too easy."

"Prompto!" Seven cried in delight to their savior.

Stella stood on her defense, shielding Seven behind her. She cast a protect spell on Seven before she threw another offensive spell on an approaching soldier who was about to attack them The spell came in illuminating, blood red orb that touched the unfortunate soldier, who fell unconsciously on the ground, petrified from intense pain.

Prompto, on the other hand, showered the soldiers with his bullets shooting from his dual guns hastily, one after another, his precise aim unfailing.

The two of them attacked with no hesitation, dodging the careless assaults from the enemies. However, the soldiers proved to be no match for the duo's strength. As each of them collapsed, the group weakened at their mercy.

"Retreat!" One yelled out. "Retreat!"

Prompto frowned in disappointment as he ran after the soldiers. "Oy! I'm not finished with you!"

Stella was cautiously eyeing them, wary that they might come back. She was about to turn around to take a look at Seven when she heard the child scream.

"Seven!" Stella quickly ran to her. Seven was looking above them with horror in her eyes. Stella also noticed that a big shadow was covering them and she followed Seven's gaze. There, hovering above them, was a giant airship, with missiles protruding out of it, targeting their spot.

Stella gasped.

As soon as Prompto turned around, the victorious smirk he was wearing quickly changed into shock. He ran at the two. "Run! Run away!"

Seven ran to his direction and hid herself behind a thick scrap of metal while Stella stood still facing the airship.

"Hey! I said run!" Prompto repeated to Stella. But she wouldn't move.

She won't run away anymore.

She clasped her hands together.

"Tch!" Prompto ran beside her, unsheathing his guns, once again. "If you want to stay, I guess I don't have much choice. I don't want to waste time persuading you to go, and I can't just leave you here, y'know?"

Like a true hunter, Prompto quickly scanned the ship for its weakness. Finding almost none, he started to shoot at the spaces between parts of the ship, especially the hinges that connected the wings to the body. He shot, and shot, and kept on shooting, but none of his bullets did any damage to the airship. He turned to Stella for help.

"Uh, not to be demanding, or anything, but," He shot another vain bullet to the ship. "I noticed that you weren't doing much about this." He aimed at the other wing and tried to shoot it. "Would really appreciate it if you make your move." He shot another couple of bullets. "Anytime now!"

As if a reply to his call, light began to illuminate around Stella. With the light making her even more visible in the night, it finally became evident that she was praying; besides the obvious position of her hands, her eyes were closed, and her lips were quickly moving, as if she was muttering a hurried prayer. Prompto narrowed his eyes before widening them again in surprise.

"Stella?"

The girl he just called reached to her side and pulled a long, silver staff that she had been hiding so discreetly from everyone. How she was able to do it, only someone like her would know. She held it still at the middle and waved it in a circle before landing the bottom end on the ground.

Glowing encryptions unfamiliar to Prompto began to appear on the floor in a huge spiral form, taking shape around Stella. She then knelt down and touched the encryptions with her fingertip, prompting them to flash from the middle and spreading outwards the circle. A thin beam of light shot down from the sky, and the dark clouds started to part, leaving a space in between them. A soft, distant roar from above was heard before a fiery blue ball of light sped down to the earth. But before it landed, before it even touched the ground, a huge, dark muscular creature appeared after the blue light had vanished. It was about six-story high, donning sharp crooked horns that leaned backwards, and a pair of pale blue eyes. Its beak was sharp and pointed, and its talons long and fatal. It stood on two legs, and on its back were large, wide wings that could slice its victims mercilessly.

"Bahamut…" Prompto managed to utter in pure amazement.

Bahamut began to flap its wings and lifted itself from the ground. It then swung its wings violently downward, throwing itself high above the sky, leveling with the airship. The ship diverted its missiles from the skyway and aimed at Bahamut, but the machine was too slow against the creature. Bahamut opened its beak where a small, blue ball appeared, and in a few seconds, the ball gathered so much energy that flowed through Bahamut that it grew to become as large as the creature itself. And then, as fast as the flash of light, the ball left Bahamut's beak and charged at the airship.

While Prompto and Seven were watching the explosion in astonishment, Stella ran to them and pulled their arms as they ran away from the area. When a larger explosion erupted, the three of them were inevitably hurled a few meters from the ground.

* * *

><p>Several minutes later, Prompto groaned before he realized that his hand was clutching his throbbing head. When he finally came to, he found himself on the ground full of huge and small rubbles, and blurry visions of two girls looking over him.<p>

"Prompto!" a worried voice called. "Prompto!"

"Please wake up!" A younger voice followed.

Prompto only let another groan escape. "Uh… Seven?"

"Prompto!" He felt a light hug with small arms. "You're back!"

"Yeah. I think I'm back…" Prompto slowly lifted himself while he was assisted by the older of the two and sat up. When his sight became clearer, he finally recognized Stella and Seven. "Yo. You two okay?"

"Yup!" Seven replied cheerfully, while Stella quickly stood up. "No one's following us anymore."

"Well, isn't that good news, eh?" Prompto smirked and patted Seven's head. "I guess we made it."

He turned around to look at Stella, but she was already climbing down the fallen skyway. She looked up and caught his confused eyes looking back at her. She took her chance and said "Please bring her back to her brother." And with those words, she slid down to the road below and she was gone.

Prompto's eyes widened and he quickly stood up. "Hey! Wait!" He dashed to the edge of the skyway, and saw Stella running away from them. She was already too far for him to sprint after, and he couldn't leave the younger one behind, leaving him no option but to stay where he was no matter how much he wanted to go after her.

Seven soon realized what was going on and cried out for Stella to come back. When Stella finally disappeared from her sight, she stopped calling for her and looked down in defeat.

Seven inhaled deeply and held her breath, repressing a tear from dropping. "… I wish you didn't do that."

Prompto exhaled the breath he had been holding. "I… didn't know she is the summoner." After a moment had passed, he sighed loudly in frustration and sat down in thwart. "Ah, he's gonna kill me."

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><p>AN: I hope this is a good start.


	2. Inside the Fal'cie

**Disclaimer:** Everything that is not mine, is not mine. The idea of the story is mine though. Savvy?

**Author's Note**: How long has it been? Haha! I apologize for my lack of time and partly laziness as to why I was not able to update for so long. I believe it has been almost a year! Gosh, I feel loads better now for updating. I don't know if this story still has readers but, once again, I deeply believe so much in its ending, and that's why I'm going to finish this by hook or by crook. I'm much more inspired now, knowing that I'm close to the ending I've been wanting to write, so I think I will be able to update soon. So hang in there!

As for my three reviewers, thank you. =) Your reviews are very much appreciated, and I hope you will enjoy this chapter as well.

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><p>The Fal'cie, or the commander thereof, or whoever was the authority behind the confusion and chaos around the city, was evidently indifferent of the damage it was causing in the expense of all life forms for one insignificant (and yet unnecessarily deathly) hunt for a harmless summoner.<p>

The stench coming from the corpses of innocent citizens shot through the delicate nose of the persistent prince. With his arm wrapped in his cloth, he covered his nose while he could only squint the pain in his eyes away. He avoided the sight of the lifeless bodies of youth, elders, and children, scattered in every side of the place. Once, he tripped over something, and he did not dare know what it was. It would seem like the authorities have spotted the summoner by mistake in the place, and dropped a bomb to make sure. Regardless, Noctis hoped it missed the person he had been desperately searching for.

He proceeded his way to the Fal'cie, which still was several buildings away from where he was. Nonetheless, he was most definitely closer to what he could see as bright hope in his search amidst the crisis.

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><p>"RAAAH!" Gladiolus roared as he threw a soldier's body to the small army of people like him, knocking them to the ground with one strike like bowling pins. In the battle he got himself into, he was winning, so far. But he chose not to show off what more talent he could do and simply took the chance he got to run away. After all, he didn't want to cause much more harm to his weaker enemies.<p>

He grinned and saluted at them with his right hand. "So long! See you in a bit!" Then he ran as fast as he could. He heard a few shouts of atrocious names for him from the soldiers he left behind, but he simply let those names escape his other ear and kept on fleeing to his escape. When he was at a considerable distance and the soldiers were out of his sight, he halted on his steps and turned around to look back.

"Man, I feel sorry for them already."

"Sorry for what?"

Gladiolus raised an eyebrow and turned to look at his "other" company. His eyes widened. "Hey! Ignis!"

Ignis was leaning on a wall with his sheathed sword resting on his shoulder. He nodded at Gladiolus and gave a weak "Hey."

Gladiolus' expression soon turned to horror as he quickly ran to Ignis' side. "Hey, you okay?"

Ignis' eyes diverted to his side, avoiding Gladiolus. "I'm fine." He muttered. He pushed himself away from the wall, and as soon as he did, his eyes narrowed in pain and he groaned. His legs failed him and he nearly fell to the ground.

"Whoah!" Gladiolus was quick at catching his friend with his thick arms. "Now I know you're far from okay." He placed Ignis' free arm around his shoulders and lifted him. "We're not far from the Fal'cie. Maybe we can find help from Prompto and Noctis once we get to them."

"You know what," Ignis said in a voice that was barely audible. "you can just leave me here. I can manage."

Gladiolus shook his head. "Ah, no can do." He then began walking, dragging a limping Ignis with him. "We'll have you fixed up really soon. You'll see."

* * *

><p>Prompto was sure that he had been pressing the correct button on the communicator for the past few minutes, yet there still was no answer no matter how many times he tried to contact Noctis. He could not assume that his communicator was broken, as it was evidently in good working condition. In as much as he would not like to surmise, either Noctis was currently at a dead spot, or he broke his communicator. Either way was not a good sign.<p>

He sighed. "Damn. Could not get to him."

"Maybe we should hurry!" Seven suggested.

"Yeah, probably." Prompto glanced upwards and scanned the area, looking for any sign of the Fal'cie. "We're going at the right direction, right?"

"I think so." Seven replied. She pointed at the North of the cracked highway. "I mean, the soldiers came from that direction."

"The others must already be at the Fal'cie. They should be." He hoped so.

"Do you think Stella is with them?" the little girl asked.

Prompto shook his head. "I really don't know. But if she is…"

Seven tilted her head to the side curiously at Prompto's pause. "What?"

Prompto sighed and shook his head. He turned to look at Seven. "Let's just go, shall we?" he smiled.

Seven nodded. "Okay." And then she took his hand.

* * *

><p>The four friends ran, walked, limped and fought their way to the colossal monument of the Fal'cie for one cause's sake. Whatever path they took or chose had never been an easy one. Gladiolus defended the wounded Ignis from the soldiers, almost being knocked down himself. With limited supplies of recovery items in his stash, he would not dare think how long they would last in the battles ahead of them.<p>

Prompto was closer to the Fal'cie than his other companions, but was not luckier in his encounters with the soldiers. When he reached an area which what seemed like a dead end, he hid Seven behind a fallen beam before shooting the soldiers from the distance, depending only on luck in hope of being missed by the bullets his enemies were shooting back at him.

But if Lady Luck was indeed in control, she favored Noctis the most. With less encounters from the chaos (fighting only a mechanical behemoth and its inexperienced master), he had reached the Fal'cie sooner than his friends would. He reached for his pocket and took out a silver necklace securing a circular blood red stone. He clutched it tightly, curious at its effectiveness as a talisman, silently thankful that he brought it with him.

After placing the necklace back safely into his pocket, he turned back to look at the war-stricken city where his friends were probably struggling. As per agreement that he himself had imposed before parting from his friends, he would have to contact the others to let them know that he had reached their destination.

He took out his communicator from his pocket and contacted Gladious first, but there was no answer. He tried to reach Ignis next, but his call was rejected. He dialed Prompto's number, more hopeful that he would be able to talk to him at least, but his communicator couldn't seem to reach him.

"Tch!" Noctis' heart was getting heavier at the thought that his friends were caught in dire circumstances. Why else couldn't he talk to them? Searching them was an option he was ready to consider (since he already found the way to the Fal'cie), but what if he was too late to come back? What if in the end he would just be critically wasting his time?

But if he had come back for his friends… they would not forgive him for it.

Slowly, Noctis turned around to face the massive door of the Fal'cie. The person he was desperately searching must be beyond that door… she should be.

Very carefully, as if his touch will become the difference between life and death, Noctis pushed the door open.

* * *

><p><em>It had been a month since they first went out t the city on their first date. Just one month had passed and it was already her birthday. And Noctis did not come unprepared.<em>

_After he had dealt with the press concerning the new skyway his family was planning to build, he retreated to his room, gussied himself, and had Ignis drive him to his date's small house _

_Noctis surprised the birthday girl with a blindfold, assuring her that she could trust him. And she did. She obediently went inside the royal car before Ignis drove them to the place where Noctis had planned his surprise. And the moment the lovers stepped out, Noctis gave his friend the order to drive back home, leaving him to do everything on his own, to which Ignis only replied with a knowing smile._

"_Where are we?" She asked in a nervous laugh._

"_You'll see in a minute." Noctis replied with a grin while holding her hands, guiding her._

"_Should I begin counting seconds now?" She asked jokingly._

_He chuckled. He had been counting too—steps, rather than seconds. "If you want to. But we're almost there."_

_Then, they stopped. Gently, he held her waist. "We're here." He whispered._

_She reached for the knot behind her back, just as he was untying it. She gasped lightly at the touch of his hand and smiled as he removed the cloth that had been covering her eyes. She opened them, blinking a few times to adjust to the light, and finally, her blurry vision turned clear. _

_She was in an empty white room with ivory floor, big enough for two people, but not too small for a space. A small, elegant golden chandelier was hanging from the ceiling, giving the room a blonde glow. Windows were framed in gold, designed with white curtains that were dancing with the outdoor wind. Stella gasped once again, but in a delightful awe._

"_Noct," She said breathlessly. "It's beautiful!"_

_Noctis smiled warmly. "I'm glad you like it. But this is just one part of it."_

_She turned to him with her surprised purple eyes. "What do you mean?"_

_Noctis looked around, examining the room. "I'm thinking this could be the study room. Or maybe the entertainment room where we can wind down after a long day."_

"_We?" She asked, a bit startled._

"_Yes." Noctis gave her a loving smile. "We."_

_He took steps closer to her and placed his hands on her waist, pulling her even closer, as her hands rested on his chest. "I was thinking of moving out from the palace. I'm quite tired of being told what to do, and I thought it would be good to live here instead."_

_He rested his forehead on hers, his eyes turning more sincere, so warm that she felt herself melting. "I went to look for a good home, a home that you will love. Because I was hoping that you would agree to live here… with me."_

_Her eyes were brimming with tears as she listened to his sweet words. She laughed heartily, clasping her hands on his cheeks, nodding._

* * *

><p>He was finally there. He was finally inside.<p>

It was awfully silent inside the Fal'cie- too silent. He was beginning to think if he went to the right place to find her. He looked around suspiciously, looking for any signs of danger, or a sign of anything for that matter. Nothing was inside the gigantic metal building but a few stairs from all directions, and a small circular floor hovering just a few meters ahead of him.

_It has to be the way further, _he thought hopefully

He unsheathed his sword just to be sure, and carefully walked forward, still on the alert of what might surprise him. And as he walked farther, he began moving faster until he found himself running, his steps echoing in the place.

He halted in front of the circular floor, studying it before deciding to step in. Curiously, he tapped it first with his sword, inspecting its reaction, wondering what it will do once he steps in. He looked around again, hoping to find some clues on how to use it, and found none. Finally, with the sense of need for something to happen, for him to progress, he entered the circle. And the moment he did, a control panel suddenly protruded from below. It had buttons with numbers arranged from one to ten, and two directional buttons for up and down. It was then that he realized what the floor was for.

He would guess that he was at the first floor, but how could he be sure which button to choose? Time was precious, and every second mattered.

Chances were, the person he was looking for must have been brought to the Fal'cie if she was caught. And if she wasn't…

Noctis closed his eyes painfully. _Focus, Noctis. _He told himself. He couldn't afford to lose any of the little hope left in him.

He looked at the panel again and examined the glowing numbers. The light emitting from them only gave him the sense the urgency, churning his insides a bit too tightly. If he was going to randomly bet which floor she was in, he would put his money on the 10th floor, since the Fal'cie was probably located there.

Once again, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. And when he found himself exhaling, he opened his blue orbs and his grip on his sword tightened. With his free hand, he pressed the number "10".

* * *

><p>"<em>Can I ask you something?"<em>

_He turned to look up, his eyes composed. He was sitting across her, eating his pan pizza at a decently decorated diner. They had been talking almost the whole time they had been together that day, and he already got used to her constant questions. Though no matter how much were thrown at him, he was always willing to answer them._

"_Yes, of course." He carefully placed his pizza back into its pan. "What is it?"_

_Her purple eyes were earnest at him, unmindful of her golden locks slowly sliding down on her shoulder. Her hand, which was resting right next to her untouched salad, was tensed, as Noctis had noticed. "What if you suddenly find out that someone you care about happens to be a dangerous person?"_

_Noctis leaned back on his chair thoughtfully. "I'd still consider that person important to me. If I sense danger from that person, then I'll do what I can to help."_

"_You'd still keep that person close to you?"_

"_It depends."_

"_Even if that person is a threat?"_

"_Unless that person is intentionally a threat."_

_Her face softened. "I guess that's fair. You're the prince." She replied. "It is your responsibility to put your people first before anything else, right?"_

_Well that was a tricky question, he thought. He shrugged. "If that person is dangerous to my people, I guess I'll have to keep that person away, whether I like it or not."_

_Her eyes fell down as she withdrew her hands to her lap. "Oh." She nodded and forced a smile. "I see."_

_Noctis' eyes suddenly turned curious. "Why did you ask?"_

_Stella looked at him and forced a wider smile. "Nothing." She gently grabbed her fork and started on her salad. "I just thought it'd be interesting to know."_

* * *

><p>The floor finally stopped on what he would assume to be the 10th floor. Compared to the floors below him, the place was much darker, only lit by a few handful of small lights and glowing specks of dust that drifted around him. Cautiously, Noctis stepped out of the circular floor, his eyes narrowed in guardedness. He walked, observing his surroundings further for any signs of danger before he decided to run forward. And as he did, the place glowed brighter, as if there was a source of bright light ahead. And just as he got closer to it, the glint shone more radiantly with each step. But that small gleam was too far to be close, and soon, his high stamina proved not to be enough to endure the distance. Noctis paused to catch some breath, bending down while propping his arms on his knees.<p>

After a few moments and exhales had passed, he suddenly became aware of his situation. A man, exasperated from everything in his whole life, finally losing his composure and admitting defeat.

He chortled a little at this realization and forced himself to straighten up. Still taking deep breaths, he began to walk further, wiping his forehead with his free arm.

_I'm just a boy, _he thought, _in search of a worthy meaning for everything in this world._

And then, at a glance, a glowing figure stood close to he light ahead of him. The figure had straight golden locks that radiated against the light, catching his eyes. Noctis narrowed his eyes. _Could it be?_

Then, as if the figure caught him, it ran farther into the light in trepidation.

Noctis ran to it faster. "WAIT!" He called out desperately. "WAIT!"

But the figure would not heed to his words.

"STELLA! WAIT!"

* * *

><p>"<em>Where is she?"<em>

_Noctis had been asking himself the same question over and over again. When he arrived at the house he had been sharing with her, he called her name to let her know he was there, as usual. And she would reply to him, always letting him know where she was. But this time, this one time, he did not hear any response. Puzzled, he searched in their bedroom first, when she would usually stay. And when he could not find her there, he searched the study room next, followed by the other rooms inside the rest of their house. But there was no trace of her. He then took out his cellular phone and dialed her number, but instead of the ringing sound, he heard the female voice of a telecommunication agent saying that her number could not be reached._

_For one last time, he called her name again. "Stella!"_

_Still, there was no response._

_That got him Stella never left without telling him first through their cellular phones. It bothered him how she suddenly left without any hint where she went._

_Noctis entered the study room again and surrendered to his chair. He indulged himself into deep thought and run through the possible places where Stella could be. It was until his eyes moved to his table and saw his book that was unusually out of the shelf._

_**THE COMPREHENSIVE TOME OF THE SUMMONERS' HISTORY**_

_He narrowed his eyes in puzzlement. He picked up the book and examined it in his hands. It had been long since he finished reading it. It was one of the materials he favored the most out of his collection despite its taboo content. He would never suspect Stella to read it herself, so, what was it doing on the table?_

_Mindlessly, he opened the book, and then, a folded paper fell out of it accompanied by a small CLANK! Noctis, startled by it, quickly placed the book down and picked up the paper. He opened it, careful not to rip it a single part of it, and recognized Stella's handwriting on the note. Encased inside it was a silver necklace that donned a circular blood red stone. Noctis' eyes turned to disbelief. The stone was believed to be frowned upon, as they were created by the summoners themselves. If he remembered correctly, the stone was made with blood extracted from aeons to keep anyone away from harm, which only made the stone even more forbidden. Never had he seen an actual one until that moment. In as much as his eyes marveled at it in his hand, he could not escape his wonder on how Stella got one in the first place._

_He then turned to the piece of paper and read the letter. And his eyes widened. _

_He stood up and took his coat. By this time, he had heard explosions from outside. He looked out the window to check, and saw that the bridge from the north side of the city was shot with missiles._

_Quickly, he grabbed his sword and took his communicator._

"_Ignis, Stella left. Call the others, we are searching for her."_

_Still holding on to the red stone Stella had left to him, he stepped outside of the house, where Ignis' car came to a halt with a screech. Noctis swiftly went inside the vehicle, leaving the note where he first found it._

_**Noctis,**_

_**I am sorry for disappearing so suddenly. But I've decided to leave for good.**_

_**I believe that you were called to your father's house to tell you about the summoner that was rumored to be found here in the city. And if the summoner was indeed here, we both know that the Fal'cie will do everything to kill it, even if it will cost lives. I don't know how else to tell you this, but that rumor is true. I should know. Because that summoner, who is and will be causing all the big troubles, is me. **_

_**I understand if it comes shocking to you, but I have to leave, because I can't get you involve any longer.**_

_**I'm sorry if I stayed with you for far too long. And I'm sorry if I was not telling you the truth about who I really am. I hope I can explain myself to you, but I don't know how else I can.**_

_Crowds began filling the streets, and loud desperate cries of citizens were heard in the attempt to escape the destruction that came from the giant monument of the Fal'cie._

_**All that I hopelessly know is…**_

_Soldiers in metal armors started appearing. Heavy lights from aircrafts above were scanning the area, searching for the lost summoner that they just knew was there._

_**I wish I could stay with you… for just a bit longer.**_

_**- Stella**_

* * *

><p>"Stella!" He helplessly cried once more.<p>

He had been running for quite a long while now, hoping to regain the sight of Stella that he saw. And the closer he got to the light, the more he felt himself going even faster, as if his feet were running on their own, dragging his already exhausted body.

Then finally, he had reached it. He was already in the light.

But the moment he arrived, the more lost he became, for there was nothing but white walls that greeted him.

He suddenly never felt so alone.

He came to a stop, still catching his breath. He looked around at the sudden change of the surroundings observing what he could possible anticipate. Obviously, he could see more clearly to his advantage. And if Stella was indeed in that room, he would be able to reach her in no time. He doubtlessly knew it.

Soon, more hopeful this time, he began running forward again. There was no other way but the path in front of him, after all.

He ran further, pushing himself, telling himself over and over again that he was almost there.

"Please…"

He stopped. He paused at the faint sound of her pleading voice. He looked around frantically. "Stella?"

"Please… that's enough."

Her pleas grew into sounds of despair as she talked to what would seem like someone who had greater power over her.

Noctis became just as desperate as she was. "Stella!" He called. "Where are you!"

"Stop it… I'm already here."

Noctis looked left. He swore he heard her voice from that direction. He ran towards it.

"You don't have to take any more lives."

Her voice was getting louder at each step that he took. His heart was pounding hard against his chest on the thought that he was getting closer to her.

"Take me."

And she was there. The one person he had been looking for amidst the chaos, amidst the war. The only person he had been longing to see, only to assure that she was safe… that he was not too late to protect her.

She was there, in front of an immense sculpture of a beast made of chunks of metal, her arms spread widely to her sides. Her eyes were as earnest as her pleas, damped with what he would see as tears of desperation.

"Stella!" He called once again, and this time, she turned around to look back at him. The anguished gaze in her eyes only pained him even more deeply, and he instinctively had to go to her and wipe the despair away. But just as he did, he was suddenly thrown back by a force that his eyes could not see.

Still in shock, he shook his head and turned to look at Stella, who was standing at the other side of the invisible barrier, her watered eyes still fixed at him. And her lips curled into a smile so sad, he became fraught in helplessness.

Stella slowly turned around to face the sculpture once again. "Please, don't take any more lives. No more destruction. I surrender now. Take me instead."

"Stella, stop!" Noctis called as he stood up. He picked up his blade and struck the invisible wall that was separating him from the summoner. He howled at every lash his weapon landed upon the barrier, but all his efforts were in vain.

Then, there was light that emitted from the beastly sculpture, and it grew brighter and brighter in every second. Stella gracefully turned back to look at Noctis, her blue orbs finally at rest in content.

Her lover paused in bewilderment until he realized that Stella's legs were frozen into flawless blue crystal. And it was climbing to her thighs, and then waist, consuming her slowly and gently.

Noctis eyes widened in horror. "NO!" He pounced on the barrier, still despairingly attempting to break it down and reach her- to stop whatever it was trying to take her away from him.

And then, she smiled at him again, but this time, a smile in effort to give him comfort. For one last time, she tried to ease him with the assurance that everything was going to be all right.

But he wouldn't have any of it. He kept calling to her, screamed her name, and finally cried as her gentle face finally turned into crystal, lifeless in its azure transparency.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: I can assure you that this is not the end. I am not going to leave it to end like this! After all, what happened to Noctis and his friends? To Seven? Will Stella forever be in her crystal form? Keep yourselves posted. Hahaha!


	3. Waking Up

Disclaimer: I do not own everything that is not mine. The characters, setting, everything. If it's not mine, it ain't mine. But the story of this fiction is.

Author's Note: Yeah, I know, short chapter. But this story is meant to be short. If it helps, I was listening to "My Hands" while writing this chapter. It helped me build the mood. Hehe!

* * *

><p>Over the ill-lit abyss that rest upon the foot of the towering but lifeless Fal'cie monument, sunlight was quickly peeking through a thin crystal layer after it was hit by heavy thuds of a demolition machine.<p>

"Extra careful with that one! Geez…" A large bulky man with an orange hair hidden beneath his helmet yelled at the other one controlling the machine. And in response to his warning, the machine became evidently gentler at cracking the crystal layer open.

"Gadot! I think it's open now!" The young man called out to the one with fiery hair before jumping out of the machine.

Gadot knelt beside the cracked and smiled knowingly. "Yup, it's finally open alright. Good job Maquiboy." He patted the head of the younger one.

"Wow…" Maqui's eyes widened in astonishment as he peered through the hole. "No wonder boss was so eager to get this one out."

"Hmm…" Gadot narrowed his eyes curiously. "Call Yuj. Tell him the eviction team is needed here."

* * *

><p>She was asleep.<p>

And she had been sleeping for the longest time.

But it felt so different to her this time. The position she was in was different, and the feeling of comfort was somewhat… lacking.

Also, she was conscious. She could actually feel something. She was alive.

Slowly, careful that she might not like what she would see for the first time in her dreamlike stance, she opened her eyes. She peeked in between her lids and found light. She has also made out blurry figures that move associated with sounds. Sounds that were suddenly new to her. Slightly she moved her hand against the surface where she was laying, and she felt the brushing sensation against her palm, against her fingertips. She felt like a newborn introduced to the world for the first time.

Finally, she opened her eyes, more widely this time. She blinked a few times until her vision was clear. She scanned the place and saw many beds aligned inside an elongated room. Several people were moving around and about, and many more were sitting or lying on their beds. The ones who moved were tending to them, accommodating them, talking to them…

Where was she?

Suddenly, she felt herself breathing unevenly as she sat up on her own bed. Surprisingly, not even a hint of pain shot her head with her sudden shift of position.

"Finally awake now, are we?"

She turned to the source of the voice, and saw a woman sitting beside her bed, her arms folded under her smirk and her piercing, but amused purple eyes. Her silver hair was a bit familiar to her with its short style, but her bangs gathered to one side of her head.

"Hey Stella." The woman nodded at her. "Remember me?"

Stella blinked. She couldn't even think straight. How could this woman assume that she knew her? How can she possibly manage to redeem all of her memories at a snap? She couldn't even gather her own thoughts. Her eyes only fell on her palms that rested on her lap.

The woman's eyes softened. "It's alright. You might remember me later when you feel more comfortable in this place. Might take a while, but you'll get there." She reassured.

"Where am I?"

The woman smirked. "Well, we're still here at the evacuation site in the ancient city of Tenebrae."

Stella's head snapped at the woman. "Tenebrae?"

"Yup, the one and only." She smiled at Stella. "The one where I believe you came from."

"Oh." Stella nodded. "Right. Tenebrae."

The woman took a deep breath in thought. "We've been trying to recover summoners that were punished by the Fal'cie. The ones that were caught and turned into crystal, just in hopes of recovering you."

Stella's eyes relaxed and fell to her palms once again.

"Ever since the fall of the Fal'cie more than twenty years ago, the summoners were finally free from the shackles of their crystal stasis. It was only then they could be recovered." She leaned closer to Stella. "We've been looking for you. And it was also by looking for you that we were able to recover summoners from their crystal cages. I'm really glad that I finally found you, Stella."

Stella slowly looked up to the woman. How did she know her name? No matter, she saved her from a cursed slumber. "And I'm very grateful that you have found me. I am indebted of you."

"Nah, that's nothing." The woman shook her head. "What's more important to me is we were able to find you. And we will find more summoners so we can finally free them too."

"Then I will help, if that's the case." Stella nodded firmly.

The woman beamed with a large smile. "Thanks. No need for you to do that, but thanks anyway. My brother… he would be so happy."

Stella nodded slightly in almost a bow. "Then, I would like to meet him too so I can extend my thanks."

The woman's smile slowly melted and disappeared reluctantly. She shook her head before standing up from her chair. "Can you stand?"

Stella found no reason why she couldn't, and nodded at her. "Yes. I think I can."

"Come. I think it's time for you to remember some things."

* * *

><p>They left the long, crowded room and walked through several hallways, with most people greeting Stella's female escort with a smile and a nod, followed by a "boss". It was then Stella figured that she was running the whole place- and most possibly the whole operation. The boss led her outside of the shelter, revealing the whole ruins of Tenebrae with countless of evicting and bulldozing machines scattered at every corner of the place.<p>

In an awe, Stella could only stare at the once so beautiful city of Tenebrae. It was how she last remembered it, the ruins, the explosions, the chaos… it was much worse than how it was now.

"I grew up here too." The woman fed Stella's further curiosity. "I grew up with my brother. He would take me to many places in the city whenever he was free from his duty. He would often bring me to an amusement park and ride with me on my favorite ride until I feel sick. Too bad it's not missile-proof."

"Your brother…" Stella's words drifted from her lips. "Is he a soldier?"

"No." The woman replied. "He was much more than that."

The woman let a moment of pause pass between them as Stella continued to examine the place she once called home. A home that made even more than just a home by a person she could not forget, no matter how many years her memories slept with her.

"I remember now…" Stella said, prompting the woman to look at her. "I was there. When the Fal'cie destroyed Tenebrae, I was here, escaping." She shook her head as she recalled her cowardly actions. "Everyone was after me. I wanted to hide myself and save my life, thinking that they would eventually give up if they never found me. But I realized they would stop at nothing. Not even at the cost of lives of others. It left me no choice but to surrender myself directly to the Fal'cie. I…" Her eyes fell to the ground, her eyes brimming with tears. "I… I don't even know if that changed anything. If it made it all stop and saved more lives that they might've taken too."

The woman gave her a soft smile. "I know, Stella. I know what you've been through."

Stella's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

The woman inhaled deeply. "I know your story. I was here too. I was six then." She smirked and turned her violet eyes at Stella again. "You saved me back then, remember? The little girl with the dog plushie?"

Stella gasped. "… Seven?"

The woman nodded happily. "Yup. The one and only."

Tears of relief and joy escaped the summoner's eyes as she leapt to Seven and wrapped her in a tight embrace.

* * *

><p>Stella sat across Seven as the young "boss" was nibbling on her lunch. Stella could not let her gaze off Seven, almost ignoring her own food.<p>

Seven stopped chewing on her hotdog and stared back at Stella with her face still full. "What?"

"You're so big…" Stella replied in pure awe. "I never imagined you to grow like this. It was too early back then for me to anticipate."

"Well, time does not wait for us. We catch up with time, right?" Seven smirked at Stella. "But I'm no wonder or anything. I'm still me, minus the royal title. I don't think I ever wanted that one anyway."

"The title still fits you, only in a different light."

Seven shrugged. "I suppose so."

"What happened after Prompto saved us from the soldiers?" Stella asked before taking a bite of her clubhouse sandwich.

Seven drank from her cup before she replied. "Lots of fighting, that's for sure. I actually thought Prompto would never make it before we could escape the city. Or at least before we could find a good place to hide. But that guy, wow, he had the eyes of a tiger; precise, never faltering."

"What happened to him?"

"He survived. But not without some mortal wounds. Fortunately, we found a place with several potions and healing stuffs. After healing some of his own wounds, we, stocked up lots before looking for others."

Stella nodded, a slight relief washed over her. "What happened to the others?"

"Gladiolus was okay. Ignis…" She shook her head. "Not that good. He was knocked out when we found him. We actually thought he was dead! We gave him one of the very few Pheonix Downs we stashed and healed him some more with the potions. It took a while before he completely recovered. All of us were able to reach Noctis before anything worse happened."

Stella perked up at the sound of his name. "Noctis… What happened to him?"

Seven shook his head once more. "He was really grim. Down to Ifrit's bone. When we saw him, his eyes were… really dark. When we arrived at the Fal'cie's monument, he was kneeling in front of your crystal self, gripping on his sword so tightly, I think I saw his hand bleed. When Gladiolus and Prompto touched him, he glared at them, a deadly glare, really. And when he stood up, I knew… we knew. He was more than determined to go after the Fal'cie and bring you back."

Stella suddenly reached for Seven's hand and squeezed it tightly. "Where is he? I need to see him… I need him to see me."

Seven's eyes turned melancholic as she slowly squeezed Stella's hand. Stella could feel her heartbeat pounding in aggravation.

"Stella…" Seven looked intently at Stella's eyes. "There's… one more thing you need to see."

* * *

><p>The temple was nothing Stella expected. When Seven told her they were heading to a temple, she was envisioning something tall and wide with many statues erecting all around the walls. But there was none of it. Stella and Seven were standing in front of a small, triangular structure, with plain white marble panels as walls. It looks like a monument by itself, albeit a large one. It didn't even have a door of its own.<p>

"An aeon's temple?" Stella asked curiously.

"Yeah. Odin's temple, to be exact." Seven replied before entering the temple. Stella followed.

Inside were the statues she was looking for, though there were only three of them. Stella examined the nearest one, her silver orbs fixed on its face.

Her eyes narrowed.

The seven-feet statue looked exactly like Prompto.

She felt her finger pointing at the statue. "Is…. Is that?"

"Yes." Seven replied, standing just behind Stella. "That's Prompto."

Stella examined the next statue. "Ignis…"

She turned to the last one. "and Gladiolus."

Their expressions sculpted on the strong marbles that towered over her were stern, as hard as the material of their statues. Nothing like how she remembered them.

Stella turned to face Seven. She gulped before speaking, but almost choked on her voice. "Where are they?"

Seven's eyes fell and she closed them tightly. Stella could feel her breath growing uneven as she stared at Seven's seemingly defeated look. Finally, Seven opened her purple orbs and locked them on Stella's steel purple ones. "They're gone now."

Stella let go of the breath she didn't know she was holding. She tore her gaze away from Seven and tried to search for an unseen comfort from the blank ivory floors. _No…._

"They.. well…" Seven took a deep breath. "They passed away after they fought the Fal'cie twenty years ago, five years after you became a crystal. Noctis, he sought a way to bring you back. And the only way it could happen was to defeat the Fal'cie for good, so you would finally be free. But it cost them their delicate lives."

Stella turned back to Stella in a snap. "Even…"

Seven sighed and nodded. "Yes. Even Noctis."

Stella couldn't hold it anymore. Tears poured from her eyes and she found herself gasping for breath. And then she was letting go of loud sobs, almost screaming.

Seven ran to her side and embraced her, joining her in grief. "I know. I know. I couldn't accept it at first too." She said, trying to suppress her own tears. "But it's done now. We have to accept it."

"No…" Stella managed in between her sobs.

Seven closed her eyes. "I saw the fight, but from a distance. They never left him, until the end. Ignis went first when he succumbed to his wounds, then Prompto. Gladiolus was next while trying to help Noctis deliver the final blow, and when he was gone, Noctis was weak. Very weak." Her own tears began to fall as well. "After the battle, the Fal'cie had finally fallen. We all ran to the site and we were able to retrieve all of them. And when we brought Noctis back… he was barely breathing." She sobbed a few times before she continued. "He… he held my hand. He was very weak…"

Seven broke down, holding tightly of Stella, seeking some strength from her. Then she pulled herself away from Stella and looked at her. "But, Stella, you can still be with him."

Stella wiped her own tears and tried her best to look at Seven. "H-how? Tell me, please…"

After wiping her tears, Seven held her hand. "Let me show you." She pulled Stella to a door that stood between Gladiolus and Ignis, and revealed a black marble staircase. Feeling herself growing weaker, but stirred at the same time, Stella held firmly on Seven's hand for support. Until they arrived at dimly lit room surrounded by candles and a few flowers.

In the middle of the room was a large concaved glass protruding from the marble floor that gave out a pearl color when touched by light. Seven pointed at it. "Look closely at it, Stella."

The grieving summoner carefully stepped closer to the glass. She gasped.

Underneath the strong, thick round glass was a half-naked Noctis who appeared to be sleeping. His eyes were closed, and his expression was solemn. His arms rested on his sides, but his chest was not moving. There was no sign he was breathing. Stella then noticed the red stone, the amulet that she gave him twenty years ago, which lay still on his torso.

Beneath his body was a colorful illustration of a silver horse with glowing yellow eyes. Both Noctis and the horse were encircled by Noctis' dark metal swords that were arranged evenly to surround him.

Stella fell on her knees as she tearfully studied Noctis' sleeping figure.

"That night, the night when I last saw him alive, he wouldn't let go of my hand." Seven hugged herself as she looked away to reminisce her memory. "While I was crying, his face was tranquil… too calm it scared me even more. I knew we were going to lose him soon. It was only a matter of minutes." She gave out a small chuckle. "We had those minutes to save him. If only there was something we could do. But we couldn't find a way.

"Then he smiled at me. With those weak, half-opened eyes, he smiled for the last time. And then he told me in between his short breaths 'I am giving myself to be an aeon. It's the only way to be with her.' I knew what an aeon was, and I knew even then where they come from and how they come to be. But I never imagined such determination to offer one's soul just so he could fight beside his love. It was enough reason for him to give up the absolute peace for his soul to fight for just one summoner."

And that summoner touched the thick glass that separated her from the love she left in the past with one hand, and clasped her mouth to supress a loud sob with another.

If she could only give up her own life in exchange for his, she would willfully do it. If only she could open his beautiful blue eyes and give him the precious life he once had that she once vowed to treasure, to protect. She longed to touch him, just as he had when she was trapped in her crystal mould. But time and fate forbade them to grasp such a simple dream.

And alas, he found a way. If she would accept him to be an aid to her next battles, to be her warrior against her foes, her defender from those who dared touch her, he will be there at her call. And then, he would hear her commanding, but graceful voice. He would see her with his own eyes. He would finally be able to do everything he should have had twenty-five years ago.

Albeit in his beastly form…

at her summoning…

he would finally be with her.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: I know it took waaay too long to finish this. But I sure do hope you like it. :)<p> 


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